Willis Tower vs 360 Chicago

Willis Tower vs 360 Chicago comes down to height against price: I’d book the Willis Tower Skydeck if you want the highest deck and The Ledge, and 360 Chicago if you want to save $20.10 and look at the lake and the Willis Tower itself. The Skydeck stands at 412.7 m against about 314 m. For one evening in Chicago, I’d choose the Skydeck first and keep 360 Chicago for a return trip or a drink.

The Willis Tower vs 360 Chicago choice is a small one, because Chicago has only two paid observation decks and both are enclosed. Every price, rating and inclusion here comes from the GetYourGuide listings I checked in October 2026, in US dollars. Links open GetYourGuide in a new tab, and I earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. The full ticket lists are on my Willis Tower tickets and 360 Chicago tickets pages.

Willis Tower vs 360 Chicago: Head to Head

	Willis Tower Skydeck	360 Chicago
Deck height	412.7 m, per Wikipedia	1,030 ft (about 314 m), per the official site
Floor	103rd	94th
Open-air?	No, enclosed, with The Ledge glass boxes	No, enclosed, with the TILT windows as an extra
Standard ticket from	$47.10	$27
Top ticket rating	4.64 from 5,158 reviews	4.45 from 3,857 reviews
Google Maps rating	4.6 from 37,885 reviews	4.5 from 21,450 reviews
Hours	9 AM to 8 PM, Saturday to 9 PM, in winter per the official site	9 AM to 11 PM per Google Maps
Time to allow	45 minutes on the standard ticket	45 minutes to 1 hour, 1.5 hours with a drink
In the view	The Loop, the river and Lake Michigan; not itself	The lake, the Magnificent Mile and the Willis Tower

Willis Tower

360 Chicago

Which Has the Better View: Willis Tower or 360 Chicago?

Height favours the Skydeck. At 412.7 m it stands about 99 m above the 360 Chicago deck, and the horizon from its floor is 72.5 km against about 63 km, using the standard horizon formula. Both decks look at the same lake and the same flat Midwest horizon, so the extra distance matters only on a very clear day.

The better frame belongs to 360 Chicago. It sits on Michigan Avenue, so the lake and the skyline are in one picture, and the Willis Tower is part of what you see to the south. From the Skydeck you look at the city without its most famous tower. If your photos matter more than the number on the sign, that is the case for 360 Chicago; if you want the tallest deck and a step onto The Ledge, the Skydeck wins.

“The Ledge extends 4.3 feet from the Willis Tower, offering heart-stopping views of the city below.”

Price and Tickets: Willis Tower vs 360 Chicago

The 360 Chicago ticket is cheaper by $20.10: $27 against $47.10. In the Willis Tower vs 360 Chicago price contest that is a real gap, close to half. The Skydeck ticket buys the 103rd floor, The Ledge and timed entry, and the listing offers a Fast Pass option for express elevators. The 360 Chicago ticket gives skip-the-line entry to the 94th floor, the lower exhibit and the CloudBar, where drinks cost extra.

Skydeck Chicago

Willis Tower Skydeck and The Ledge Ticket

• ★ 4.6 (5,158 reviews)
• 45 minutes
• Free cancellation

My pick: The Skydeck default: $47.10, 4.64 stars from 5,158 reviews, with The Ledge and free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

from

$47.10

Check availability

360 Chicago Observation Deck

360 CHICAGO Observation Deck Ticket

• ★ 4.5 (3,857 reviews)
• 45 minutes - 1 hour
• Free cancellation

My pick: The 360 Chicago default: $27, 4.45 stars from 3,857 reviews, with skip-the-line entry to the 94th floor.

from

$27

Check availability

If you want something extra, each deck has one add-on I’d consider. At 360 Chicago the Sip and View ticket costs $44 and includes a drink at the CloudBar, rated 4.51 from 425 reviews. At the Willis Tower, the Skydeck ticket with a digital tour costs $82.90, but it has a single review, so I treat it as untested. The two Willis Tower tours with a river cruise cost $189 or more, and are for people who wanted the cruise anyway.

360 Chicago Observation Deck

360 Chicago Observation Deck Sip and View Ticket

• ★ 4.5 (425 reviews)
• 1.5 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: The 360 Chicago upgrade: $44 with one drink at the CloudBar, 4.51 stars from 425 reviews.

from

$44

Check availability

WeGoTrip USA

Willis Tower Skydeck Ticket & Digital Tour

• ★ 5.0 (1 reviews)
• 2.5 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: A Skydeck ticket with a digital tour for $82.90; only one review, so buy it for the commentary.

from

$82.90

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Crowds and Timing: Willis Tower vs 360 Chicago

I have no live queue data, so I can’t tell you which line is shorter. The Skydeck has the larger review count, which tells me its tickets are what most people choose. Both listings mention a security check at the door, and both let you cancel free up to 24 hours before if the forecast turns.

Sunset is within a minute at both decks, according to the 2025 data from Open-Meteo: about 16:20 in December and 20:27 in June. I’d arrive 45 to 60 minutes before sunset at either. September was the clearest month, at 33 to 34 percent cloud cover, and December the cloudiest at 81 percent.

Month	Sunset (Chicago time)	Cloud cover	Sunshine a day	Rainy days
Jan	16:45	57%	6.8 h	7
Feb	17:24	70%	6.3 h	7
Mar	18:57	61%	8.6 h	11
Apr	19:31	66%	8.8 h	12
May	20:04	62%	10 h	10
Jun	20:27	50%	12 h	10
Jul	20:23	56%	11.4 h	13
Augclearest	19:50	45%	12.4 h	5
Sepclearest	18:59	34%	10.8 h	6
Octclearest	18:08	47%	8.5 h	6
Nov	16:29	64%	5.8 h	9
Dec	16:20	81%	4 h	12

Opening hours matter more here than in most cities. The official Skydeck site lists 9 AM to 8 PM from October 1 to February 28, with Saturday to 9 PM, and says the last entry is 30 minutes before closing, so in summer I’d check the hours for your date. 360 Chicago is shown by Google Maps as open until 11 PM, and the official site puts the last entry one hour before closing. That makes 360 Chicago the easier deck for a dark visit in winter, and a Willis Tower vs 360 Chicago night visit is a point for 360.

What the Reviews Say About Willis Tower vs 360 Chicago

The review numbers back the Skydeck on trust. Its standard ticket scores 4.64 from 5,158 reviews, while the 360 Chicago standard ticket scores 4.45 from 3,857. On Google Maps the gap is smaller, 4.6 against 4.5, so the Willis Tower vs 360 Chicago rating contest is close and I would not decide on it alone. The official Wikipedia summary of the Willis Tower, linked in the deck facts above, counts more than 1.7 million visits a year to the Skydeck.

The 360 Chicago listing carries one warning I would heed: all guests join the security line at 875 North Michigan, and waits can be longer at busy times. Some reviewers also call the ticket overpriced. At $27 I don’t agree, but it is a reason to skip the extras and book the plain ticket on a clear day.

Both Are Enclosed: What Each Deck Adds

Neither deck has an open-air terrace in my data, which is the main difference from New York. So the Skydeck vs 360 Chicago question is about the extras. The Skydeck has The Ledge, glass boxes that stick out from the 103rd floor. One guest quoted on the official site says the time on The Ledge itself was about 90 seconds, so treat it as a short thrill, not an hour.

360 Chicago has the CloudBar on the 94th floor, where you can order a cocktail, mocktail or snack, and the TILT windows, which cost extra. Official TILT tickets start at $35 on the official site. If you want a drink with the view, 360 Chicago is the deck I’d choose. The Skydeck has no restaurant ticket among its listings.

Which Should You Pick: Willis Tower or 360 Chicago?

• First visit, one deck only: the Skydeck at $47.10, for the highest deck, The Ledge and 5,158 reviews.
• Cheapest ticket: 360 Chicago at $27, by $20.10.
• Highest deck: the Willis Tower, at 412.7 m against about 314 m.
• A drink with the view: the $44 Sip and View ticket at 360 Chicago.
• Best photo of the skyline: 360 Chicago, because the Willis Tower is in the frame.
• Both in one trip: see the next section, then my guide to the best observation decks in Chicago.

Can You Do Both the Willis Tower and 360 Chicago?

Yes, and it works well in one day. By Google Maps coordinates the two are about 2.5 km (1.5 miles) apart in a straight line, so a short taxi or transit ride connects them. I’d go up the Skydeck first, in daylight, for the layout of the Loop and the river, and then 360 Chicago around sunset, so you see the Willis Tower lit in the skyline. Doing both costs $74.10 for the two standard tickets.

Whichever order you choose, book a slot for each. Check the official Skydeck site and the 360 Chicago site for holiday hours, and keep the Willis Tower vs 360 Chicago decision for the day the sky is clearest.

My Verdict

In the Willis Tower vs 360 Chicago contest, I’d call it for the Willis Tower on a first visit, because of the height, The Ledge and the weight of reviews behind its ticket. I’d call it for 360 Chicago if the budget is tight, if you want a drink, or if you want the Willis Tower in your picture. The price gap is $20.10, so book the one whose view you want to remember.